Acquisition Information

Arthur Tappan was a leading figure in the abolitionist movement during the mid-19th century. He helped found the Abolition
Society of New York in 1831 which two years later evolved into the American Anti-Slavery Society.

Frederick County was named in honor of Frederick Louis, Prince of Wales and eldest son of King George II. It was formed from
Orange County by a statute of 1738 that stipulated that when the population was large enough the new county government would
begin to function. The county court first met on 11 November 1743. Part of Augusta County was added in 1754. The county seat
is the city of Winchester.

Commonwealth of Virginia versus Abolition Society of New York, 1835, consists of a criminal presentment issued by a grand
jury in Frederick County against the Abolition Society of New York. In a lengthy and strongly worded indictment, the grand
jury referred to the antislavery organization as an "evil of great magnitude" and accused it of disturbing the peace of the
Commonwealth and threatening the lives of its citizens by inciting slaves to rebel. It encourages local law enforcement agencies
throughout Virginia to adopt "increasing vigilance ... in the detection of all fanatical emissaries, and in the suppresion
of their nefarious schemes and publications." Furthermore, the grand jury called on the General Assembly to enforce present
laws and enact stricter legislation against written or printed material that encouraged slave insurrection. The presentment
also names Arthur Tappan, whom the grand jury considered to be the "prime mover" in the society.